Stage 6 of 6: Possession & registration — The sale deed is the moment you own it.
Stage 6 of 6
Possession & registration
The sale deed is the moment you own it.
An agreement for sale is a promise to transfer. The sale deed is the transfer. This last stage is about not letting the finish line make you careless: check the occupancy certificate exists, inspect and close the snag list before the final payment, register the deed, and then finish the administrative tail — khata transfer, property tax, association handover — that most buyers leave half-done for years.
How long this usually takes
Registration itself is usually a single appointment at the sub-registrar's office. Getting to it — OC, snagging, final disbursement, deed drafting — commonly takes a few weeks. Khata transfer afterwards depends entirely on your local municipal body.
You are done with this stage when
You hold a registered sale deed in your name, the khata is being transferred, and you have the possession letter and the keys.
Your next step · Possession & registration
See the occupancy certificate before the final payment
The last instalment is your last piece of leverage. Check the OC exists, close the snag list in writing, and only then pay and register. After that, the khata transfer — it does not happen by itself.
A few weeks end to end
Possession & registration checklist
0/9 done
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Documents you need at this stage
Occupancy certificate
The document that makes possession legitimate. Ask for a copy for your own file.
Registered sale deed
The document that makes you the owner. Original goes to the lender if you have a loan — keep certified copies.
Possession / handover letter with the snag list closed
Records the date of handover and what was and was not fixed.
Khata and the latest property tax paid receipt
Needed for utilities, for resale and for any future loan against the property.
Fresh encumbrance certificate
Confirms the registration and any bank charge is on the record.
Completion and warranty documents for fittings and equipment
Lifts, pumps, waterproofing and appliances usually carry their own warranties. Collect them at handover, not a year later.
Questions to ask the developer
- Has the occupancy certificate been issued for this tower — can I see it?
- When will the khata be transferred, and who files it?
- Who drafts the sale deed, and who pays for it?
- What is the corpus fund balance being handed to the association, and when is the handover?
- How long will the developer maintain the property before the association takes over, and at what rate?
- What is covered under the defect-liability period, and how do I report a defect?
- Are the water, power and sewage connections permanent, or temporary construction connections?
Traps at this stage
Taking possession without an OC
It is offered often, framed as a formality, and it is not. It affects utilities, khata, resale and your legal position. Ask for it in writing, and ask when it will be issued if it has not been.
Paying the last instalment before snags are closed
The final payment is your only remaining leverage. Close the list first, or get the pending items written and dated on the handover letter.
Assuming the khata transfers by itself
It does not. Buyers routinely discover this years later when they try to sell or take a top-up loan.
Not checking the deed before signing it
A misspelt name or a wrong area on a registered deed is fixable only through another registered document, with its own cost and delay. Read it line by line at the appointment.
The stage either side
This is general guidance to help you plan, not legal, tax or financial advice. Process, charges and stamp duty vary by state, bank and developer, and rates change. Have a property lawyer read your documents, and confirm every figure before you transact. Pinly does not verify title, and does not perform legal due diligence on your behalf.